Observation Date
1/7/2014
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Bear River Ranger District » East fork of Bear » Boundary Creek
Location Name or Route
Boundary Creek
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Slightly inverted temperatures this morning with teens in town and in the low thirties at the trailhead. Some broken clouds early in the day with increasing clouds and some light snow around 1pm. Winds were on the increase and mostly from a west, northwest direction.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Ventured over to the east side today and found very thin and very weak snow. Somewhat difficult traveling with many trees and rocks just barely covered. The riding and turning felt like early season with lots of obstacles and weak punchy snow.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Collapsing
Red Flags Comments
I was surprised to experience a collapsing snow pack today. But with such a shallow and weak pack on the east side I guess it does not take much to collapse the weak snow that pretty much makes up the entire snow pack. It will get interesting once winter returns and a load is put on top. North west winds were drifting some snow today and shallow fresh wind drifts were developing on north and east aspects.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
The east side of the range has a very weak and shallow snow pack and once a good load is put on top, it won't take much to collapse it.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
The fresh wind drifts today were manageable with cracking around skis and sleds. In more exposed terrain and where the snow pack is still thin and weak these wind slabs could be more of a hazard.
Comments
On the east side of the north slope, the snow conditions are still thin with some of the south facing slopes having little snow and many hazards are barely covered making travel difficult.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
